WARRNAMBOOL son and father team Shannon and Ian Rentsch won their third Finke Desert Race yesterday.
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The pair’s win — in their 2010 Nissan 3500cc — complemented their 2005 and 2006 triumphs.
The Rentschs, who claimed a runner-up finish last year, completed the iconic off-road race in three hours, 37 minutes and two seconds.
They completed the home trip from Finke to Alice Springs in their buggy in 1.47.56. Shannon said he and his dad overcame a troubled build-up to the 226-kilometre race.
They had to fix buggy issues the day before the prologue.
“But from the start line yesterday everything went well,” Shannon said.
“This is the 12th time we have done Finke.
“This is the biggest race on our calendar and it’s the race everyone wants to win.
“We have been in a winning position before and haven’t made it so victory is an awesome feeling.
“(On the way back today) we were a bit concerned about running out of fuel, and a few years ago we broke an axle within sight of the finish line so we don’t take it for granted before we cross that (finishing) line.”
South Australian crew Jack Rhodes and David Pullino finished second, five minutes and 27 seconds behind the Rentschs.
It was the team’s first Finke podium, but Rhodes’ father Greg grabbed second place on a bike in 1981.
West Australians Travis Robinson and Paul Currie finished third, one minute and nine seconds further back.
